Page 9 - AfrElec Week 26 2021

AfrElec LNG -TO -POWER AfrElec

DFFE rejects Karpowership’s

applications for LNG-to-power projects

SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fish- in each port. (The powerships were to have a
eries and the Environment (DFFE) has decided combined generating capacity of 1,220 MW.)
against giving Karpowership (Turkey) per- DMRE selected Karpowership within the
mission to go ahead with three LNG-to-power framework of an emergency effort to alleviate
projects. South Africa’s ongoing electricity shortages. This
DFFE announced its decision in a statement effort, known as the risk mitigation independent
dated June 24. “The competent authority in the power producers programme, was designed to
department has decided, after due consideration make another 2,000 MW of generating capacity
of all relevant information presented as part of available within a short period. However, DFFE’s
the environmental impact assessment process ruling may prevent the Turkish company from
for all three applications in question, to refuse meeting its obligation as a preferred bidder to
the applications for the environmental author- wrap up agreements by the end of July.
isations,” it said. It explained the ruling by saying A spokesperson for Karpowership told Reu-
that Karpowership had not yet had the time to ters last week that her company intended to
assess the environmental impact of the projects. appeal against DFFE’s decision. She also asserted
The Turkish company began seeking envi- that Karpowership had been the target of a “mis-
ronmental approvals for the establishment of information campaign” that had raised undue
LNG-to-power facilities in the ports of Coega, concerns about the risks of the LNG-to-power
Richards Bay and Saldanha last October, when projects.
it was chosen by the Department of Mineral “Karpowership SA conducted a robust pub-
Resources and Energy (DMRE) to execute pro- lic participation process, met all South Africa’s
jects at these three sites. In its applications, it out- stringent environmental requirements and
lined plans for anchoring paired floating storage is confident that it will win the appeal,” she
and regasification units (FSRUs) and powerships declared.™

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